For most of us, the majority of our writing is composed of simple numbers and letters mixed and matched to convey some semblance of meaning. If you’re writing about math or science, you’ll need more than the standard toolbox of bold, italic, and underline formatting tools most word processors provide on their default toolbar.
Superscripts and subscripts are commonly used in academic writing. If you use Microsoft Word or LibreOffice Writer, there’s an easy-to-use button in the toolbar. If you use Google Docs (preferably on one of the best Chromebooks) instead, you’ll have to do a bit more clicking or learn some keyboard shortcuts to get the same thing done.
How to apply superscript and subscript in Google Docs on a web browser
The quickest way to apply a superscript or a subscript in Google Docs on the web is with a keyboard shortcut. On a standard keyboard press Ctrl+. (Control and period) for superscript and Ctrl+, (Control and comma), for subscript. Alternatively, press ⌘+. (Command and period) for superscript and ⌘+, (Command and comma) if you’re on a Mac.
There are two ways to use these shortcuts: before the fact and after the fact. Pressing Ctrl+. adjusts your active format to superscript. Now anything you type will be in superscript. Press it again to return to your default formatting. If you want to change the format of the text that’s been typed, highlight the text to change, then press Ctrl+, to change it to subscript.
If you don’t want to use the keyboard shortcuts, use the menu at the top of the window.
- Click Format from the menu at the top of the screen.
- Hover over Text from the drop-down menu, then select either superscript or subscript.
Changing the format via the menu works the same as using the shortcuts, just with a few extra steps.
If you work with mathematical equations in your Google Doc, the process of getting a superscript or a subscript is a bit different.
- Click Insert from the top menu.
- Select Equation from the drop-down menu.
- To input superscript or subscript characters into your equation, press Shift+6 or Shift+– respectively.
Unlike working with text formatting, equation formatting has to be selected before you input the characters. Once you’re done inputting superscript or subscript, press Enter to return to normal formatting.
How to apply superscript and subscript in Google Doc via mobile app
If you use Google Docs on your smartphone, the process is a little different.
- Highlight the text you want to make superscript or subscript.
- Press the Format button at the top of the screen. Then make sure you’re on the Text tab (it should be selected by default).
- Select the button for the formatting option you need.
And like on the browser, you can change your formatting to superscript and subscript before you type or afterward. To change the formatting beforehand, place your cursor where you want to input the formatted text, then follow the procedure described above. When you’re done typing, select the Format button again to return to normal.
Equations on mobile are a mixed bag. There’s no way to insert an equation via the mobile app. However, you can edit superscript and subscript values in an existing equation. Still, there’s no way to add formatted values to an extant equation via mobile.
If you don’t want to jump through any of these hoops, but you still yearn for that sweet academic veneer on your writing, Unicode has a full set of superscript and subscript numbers (and a limited set of letters and symbols) that you can copy and then paste into your document. It’s not as flexible as the formatting native to Google Docs, but you could do it if you wanted to.
When will I ever need this?
Superscripts and subscripts are primarily used for academic and scientific writing, so you probably won’t need them. References and footnotes are often indicated by using sequential numbers or letters in superscript. Another place you’re likely to encounter superscript is ordinals, words that indicate in which position something is.
In formal writing, it’s common to spell an ordinal (first, second, third). In informal writing, it’s not uncommon to use shorthand (1st, 2nd, 3rd), and often the letter part of these mixed ordinals is rendered in superscript (1ˢᵗ, 2ⁿᵈ, 3ʳᵈ). Superscripts are also common in higher mathematics to express exponentiation (for example, E = mc² or a² + b² = c²).
Subscript tends to be a bit more niche, but it definitely has its uses. You’ll most commonly see them used in chemical formulas like H₂0 or CO₂. Beyond chemistry, subscripts aren’t used very often. They pop up in physics, such as the symbols for subatomic particles (vₑ is an electron, for instance), and are used to denote the order in a sequence as in the Fibonacci Sequence (Fₙ = Fₙ₋₁ + Fₙ₋₂).
Look beyond Google Docs
If you’re doing the kind of writing where you need to make extensive use of subscripts and superscripts, Google Docs might not be the best choice. The Google Docs Android app is a great general-purpose word processor, but there’s no shortage of robust word processing apps in the Google Play Store.
